The number of communication outlets, such as telephones and cable connections, which have to be located close to an electrical receptacle, has greatly increase during the last few years. This has been caused by the increased use of communication, entertainment and other electronic equipment, such as telephones, telephone recording machines, facsimile transfer equipment (faxes), PC computers, cable connected television, VCR's, etc.
The electrical code does not allow mixing of power and communication cables in the same conduit or enclosure without a physical barrier between them, and this is the case in most jurisdictions.
At present, a power receptacle is attached to an electrical outlet box and a wall plate is mounted on this power receptacle. It is then necessary to provide a communication receptacle, at a separate location, which is attached to a wall plate mounted directly to another outlet box.
Usually, the boxes are mounted on wall studs with the two boxes, one containing the communication connector and the other the power receptacle being 16 inches or 24 inches apart, the distance between studs. This contributes to the maze of cables often present behind communication equipment.
In normal construction practice, the wall studs are erected first, forming a skeleton to which later wallboards are attached. While the skeleton is still open the electrician mounts the outlet boxes, and places the power and communication cables in the spaces between the studs. He then brings the ends of the power cable inside the electrical box, which cable remains loose until the wallboard is in place. The electrician then returns to the job site to connect the loose cable wires to the receptacle and mounts the receptacle together with the receptacle plate on top of the box.
The communication cable, however, is normally left hanging loose, behind the communication connector mounting bracket, until the wallboard is mounted and the electrician returns to connect the communication cable wires with the communication connector. This presents some difficulty because the electrician has to first find the communication cable. This has to be found through an access hole which is only as large as the communication bracket, approximately 2 inches.times.3 inches, and the electrician frequently has to use a hook to find and pull out the communication cable.
A more recent proposal is found in our earlier Canadian Patent application Serial No. 2,048,524, filed 07 Aug. 1991. This provides a cable holding device for holding a communication cable beside an electrical power outlet box. The device has a frame having a main portion and a base portion, which are at right angles to one another. The base portion has been adapted to be secured to the side of an outlet box, so that the frame extends outwardly therefrom. The frame has at least one tab to which a communication cable can be secured, to locate the free end of the communication cable in position, ready to be grasped by an electrician, for attachment to the connector.
The requirement for both communication and power cables is frequently found in industrial and commercial buildings. Further, it is common for dividing walls in such buildings to be constructed using metal studs. This presents an additional problem of preventing movement of the studs when the drywall is installed. The 1990 Canadian Electrical Codes states: "Where boxes are mounted on metal studs, an additional support should be provided to prevent the movement of the studs when drywall is installed."
Consequently, if the bracket described in our earlier application is to be mounted with an outlet box on a metal stud, an additional support is required. This support must be capable of preventing both forward and backward movement of the box and bracket relative to the drywall. The common solution, at the present time, is for an electrician to cut a piece of the metal stud, and attach it with screws to the opposite side of the box wall. This is relatively time consuming and inconvenient. Further, it prevents the use of a bracket as described in our earlier Canadian patent application.